I started this blog in 2011 after surviving a stroke. Since then my focus has changed from recovery and life with teenagers to Movies and Life with Adult Children. The remaining constant is my delusion of Royalty. Thank you for visiting my little realm

September 1, 2011

A peek into my Royal Roots

In case you haven't heard I am royal... obviously since I am Lady Bren. It isn't as if I woke up one and declared myself royalty... well actually that is what I did but don't tell anyone. It wasn't until my stroke that I truly embraced my royalty completely. Notice though I haven't claimed to be a Queen or Grand Duchess just a simple Lady, the wife of a Knight, though to be modern I have decided to keep my own name.

I am proud to say that I am a second generation American. My Grandfather (that's what we called him) came over from England around 1910. He actually snuck in through Canada so I won't find him in any immigration registrar. The story goes that he wouldn't become an American citizen just in case the two countries ever went to war. You have to kind of love that tenacity I guess. My grandfather was a composer and wound up being a Captain in the Salvation Army. While my childhood memories are very limited I fondly remember Fish and Chips with vinegar, Real Tea Parties, Beef and Kidney Pies and his bragging on English Strawberries. Hanging in the basement where I grew up is a framed piece of glass with a quote "The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire". It is the only thing from my Dad that's still left I hope to someday own.

In 1977 my Dad, a Pan Am employee, received 4 First Class tickets and we went to London. This was back when air travel was still a luxury and you dressed as such. We had never flown anywhere before and I thought that every time you flew you ate dinner upstairs with roses and chocolates. For one week we explored castles, museums and the streets of London. I came home an official anglophile. Thank heavens we were regulars at the Library so the research department didn't mind getting me all the books I could devour on the subject.

Queen Elizabeth I is truly my hero. After her is another great woman, Queen Victoria. They are two of the people I choose for the 5 people I would invite for dinner.

My bookshelf is full of books both fiction and non-fiction. Margaret Howard and Philippa Gregory are among my favorite authors. So you can imagine my delight when today I received an email from my dear friend Amy Bruno at Passages to the Past that I had won one of her many glorious historical fiction giveaways!! So I am going to be checking my mailbox with baited breath for my copy of In a Treacherous Court

13 comments:

It's great to hear you have an affinity with good old England!I live in Scotland now but I miss my home country tremendously.Those goodies your Grandfather spoke of are exactly what I love about my home country lol.Strawberries in England really are the best IMO and as for Steak and kidney pud - well you have to try it to appreciate it! (Do I assume from that that it is not a dish served in the states?).

Wow - thanks for sharing - what a great family history you have there. I love that you grew up with English influences around you... I love the way you described your flight - it sounds as if out of a movie!...especially because I wear sweats and a ponytail whenever we have to fly... ;)

Linda~ I have to agree there is nothing like Strawberries inEngland; they're huge and oh so yummy. Steak and Kidney pie not so big here and unfortunately that recipe was not handed down so my kids didn't grow up with it :0(

Stephanie~ being an airline employee/family we always had to dress when we flew (which was only a few times unfortunately) and it was weird when we went back last summer. Not only being crammed in coach but seeing people board in pretty much pj

Brittany ~ I am embrassed to say that I don't remember that blog hop as I haven't done one in a while :0( but thank you justthe same for stopping by and joining our royal gatherings

Being a British citizen it is nice to see you have such a love for my country, giggle. It was a pleasure to see your comment at Katherines Corner today. I recognized your profile image right away you wrote to me a while back regarding your blog art ( madeitforyou). Have a lovely weekend Lady Bren.Hugs!

Ah Lady Bren,What a pleasure it is to 'meet' you here. Thank you so much for dropping by my blog today. Of course it has allowed me to meet you and I shall take this opportunity to drop a curtsy for you and invite you over to watch Wimbledon next year while enjoying proper strawberries and cream with us. We'll then have a civilised game of croquet :)Of course I am you latest admirer and follower!Carol

You have an amazing story! My grandmother also came over from England, although it was later, right after WWII, she doesn't talk about her past with us much so i am convinced she has some scandalous secret about growing up in England that I will probably never know. :-( I love historical fiction too! My most recent book review is actually on a historically based, novel by Anne Stuart.

I found you through the Weekend Blog Hop and hope you will give my blog a look. You can find me at Wickedly Bookish!

Carol be careful what you write as I just might take you up on that offer and be at your door one day expecting strawberries and cream

Jess my bookshelf is full of historical fiction :0) Unfortunately reading a novel is something I can't quite manage yet. Part of my untimely I want everythin now not cooperating stroke recovery. I am finding wonderful audio books however there are many historical fiction ones at my library